Most modern automotive fuel systems utilize fuel injectors to deliver fuel to the engine cylinders for combustion. The fuel injectors are mounted on a fuel rail to which fuel is supplied by a pump. The pressure at which the fuel is supplied to the fuel rail must be metered to ensure the proper operation of the fuel injectors. Metering is carried out using pressure regulators that control the pressure of the fuel in the system at all engine r.p.m. levels.
A known flow-through pressure regulator includes a separate closure member assembly that is staked to a housing. An example of such a known flow-through pressure regulator is shown in FIG. 4. In particular, a separate closure member assembly 10 is staked to a housing 20. The closure member assembly 10 includes a machined ball pocket 12, a spring 14, a ball 16, and a ball retainer 18.
It is believed that the known flow-through pressure regulator suffers from a number of disadvantages including a manufacturing process that requires additional assembly operations as well as tooling to perform the staking. For example, in the known flow-through pressure regulator, the ball pocket is machined during a separate manufacturing step.
Thus, it is believed that there is a need to provide a flow-through pressure regulator that overcomes the disadvantages of the known flow-through pressure regulators.